michiganradioweb@gmail.comNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Stories from Michigan Radio.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94gay rightsThu, 28 Jul 2016 08:23:53 +0000gay rightshttp://michiganradio.org
Sarah CwiekIt’s time for Hotter than July, Detroit’s annual week of celebration and remembrance for the black LGBT community. This year’s events kicked off Tuesday evening at Detroit’s Palmer Park, with a vigil for community members who faced violence, diseases like HIV-AIDS, discrimination and oppression. Organizers say the week of events often feels like “a big family reunion.” But it also has its somber moments, like when attendees honored those who have passed away near a spruce tree dedicated in their honor. “We nurtured that tree as though we’ve nurtured ourselves. And we’ve done a damn good job at that,” said Curtis Lipscomb, leader of the group LGBT Detroit, which sponsors Hotter than July. Lipscomb noted that this is the 21st year of Hotter than July, making it one of the oldest gay black pride events in the world. “Detroit has led. We have led,” Lipscomb said. “And we should walk in pride. You are your authentic selves at Six Mile and Woodward, at Palmer Park.” Other events this weekOnce again, it's "Hotter than July" for Detroit's black LGBT communityhttp://michiganradio.org/post/once-again-its-hotter-july-detroits-black-lgbt-community
27298 as http://michiganradio.orgThu, 28 Jul 2016 00:25:26 +0000Once again, it's "Hotter than July" for Detroit's black LGBT communityRebecca Kruth This Week in Review, Rebecca Kruth and Jack Lessenberry wrap up the Republican National Convention and look toward Philadelphia where the Democratic National Convention is set for next week. Kruth and Lessenberry also discuss a federal ruling that blocks Michigan’s ban on straight ticket voting and the loss of one of the state’s most prominent LGBT rights advocates. Week in Review: One party convention down, one to gohttp://michiganradio.org/post/week-review-one-party-convention-down-one-go
27251 as http://michiganradio.orgSat, 23 Jul 2016 16:59:38 +0000 Week in Review: One party convention down, one to goStateside StaffJeff Montgomery was one of Michigan's first leading gay-rights activists. A personal tragedy drove him to become a fierce advocate for LGBT rights in Michigan and found the Triangle Foundation, which later became a part of Equality Michigan. Montgomery died this week in Detroit. Remembering the life, work of Jeff Montgomery, Michigan gay rights activisthttp://michiganradio.org/post/remembering-life-work-jeff-montgomery-michigan-gay-rights-activist
27203 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 20 Jul 2016 19:59:23 +0000Remembering the life, work of Jeff Montgomery, Michigan gay rights activistRebecca KruthMichigan's civil rights law offers protections based on race, religion, color, and national origin. It doesn't currently protect lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people from being fired, denied housing or other forms of discrimination. However, a growing list of Michigan cities have adopted measures to protect LGBT people. This week, the Howell and Portage city councils both approved measures geared toward preventing discrimination in housing, employment and public services. Equality Michigan says there are now 40 Michigan cities and townships with such ordinances, including Battle Creek, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Kalamazoo. Two more Michigan cities adopt ordinances to protect LGBT peoplehttp://michiganradio.org/post/two-more-michigan-cities-adopt-ordinances-protect-lgbt-people
26955 as http://michiganradio.orgThu, 30 Jun 2016 09:23:00 +0000Two more Michigan cities adopt ordinances to protect LGBT peopleSarah Cwiek, Rick Pluta Members of Metro Detroit’s LGBT community and allies are mourning the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. A group held a vigil for them at Ferndale City Hall tonight. Julia Music is the chair of Ferndale Pride. She called the attack an act of “hate, terrorism, and ignorance.” But Music urged the group to keep welcoming Muslims, who she says have just started to join Detroit’s LGBT community “in visible numbers.” “Please open your arms wide to them,” Music said. “I’ve heard their stories. And they face unspeakable acts of discrimination, just by being Muslims in our country. Please don’t perpetuate that hate.” Similar vigils around Michigan Sunday night also marked the deaths of the 50 people in Orlando. In Ann Arbor, people gathered at a courtyard that hosted a celebration almost a year ago after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Rosalee Wright says she’s the mother of a gay son. She wants to see stricter gun laws. “We have got to change laws that will make itMichigan vigils honor Orlando victims http://michiganradio.org/post/michigan-vigils-honor-orlando-victims
26713 as http://michiganradio.orgMon, 13 Jun 2016 02:51:53 +0000Michigan vigils honor Orlando victims Jack LessenberryOne of the best days in Dana Nessel’s life was Friday, June 26. Four years earlier, two nurses came to her in despair. They were a committed, loving same-sex couple, who wanted to jointly adopt the three special needs children they had raised as foster parents. But though the State of Michigan was happy with them as foster parents, it wouldn’t let them jointly adopt. Nessel was cautioned by traditional liberal groups not to take this on, warned that a loss would set back same-sex rights for years, but she filed a federal lawsuit anyway. The federal judge assigned to it suggested she challenge Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage as well. That was three years ago. One thing led to another, until in June, the United States Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage was a guaranteed constitutional right everywhere in this nation. Nessel, the mother of 12-year-old twin boys, was elated. She and her dedicated legal team had fought this battle for four years; she wasn’t paid until after it was allThe next battle for gay rights in Michiganhttp://michiganradio.org/post/next-battle-gay-rights-michigan
24034 as http://michiganradio.orgMon, 02 Nov 2015 15:50:20 +0000The next battle for gay rights in MichiganRebecca KruthU.S. Senator Gary Peters wants service members who were forced out of the military for their sexual orientation to have their statuses upgraded. Peters is co-sponsoring the Restore Honor to Service Members Act to help simplfy the process of getting a less-than-honorable discharge for being gay changed to honorable. "People who have lived with this on their record, have suffered as a result of that, and we want to make sure that they have the ability to move forward and get it rectified as quickly and simply as possible." A less-than-honorable discharge can mean big consequences. "You can be disqualified from certain benefits, particularly VA benefits," Peters said. "You can also be disqualified from civilian employment or even government employment." Peters says the legislation will also help simplify the process for corrective action. U.S. Senator wants honorable discharges for gay service members kicked out of the militaryhttp://michiganradio.org/post/us-senator-wants-honorable-discharges-gay-service-members-kicked-out-military
22950 as http://michiganradio.orgMon, 27 Jul 2015 00:31:00 +0000U.S. Senator wants honorable discharges for gay service members kicked out of the militaryJack Lessenberry This week in Michigan Politics, political analyst Jack Lessenberry talks about a new law affecting Michigan workers, a plan to fix the roads that increases the gas tax, the high cost of information, and government officials looking at the effects of the same sex marriage ruling. Lessenberry talks Michigan workers, roads plans, pricey information, and same sex marriagehttp://michiganradio.org/post/lessenberry-talks-michigan-workers-roads-plans-pricey-information-and-same-sex-marriage
22629 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 01 Jul 2015 14:07:19 +0000Lessenberry talks Michigan workers, roads plans, pricey information, and same sex marriageStateside StaffState Rep. Todd Courser, R-Lapeer, is attempting to head same-sex marriage off at the pass with a new package of bills that would take secular elected officials out of the marriage business altogether. State Legislature aims to head same-sex marriage off at the passhttp://michiganradio.org/post/state-legislature-aims-head-same-sex-marriage-pass
22543 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 24 Jun 2015 20:11:42 +0000State Legislature aims to head same-sex marriage off at the passMark BrushWe've said it before, and then we said it again. There's no Michigan or federal law that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people from discrimination. Michigan's civil rights law protects you from discrimination based on your religion, race, color, national origin, age, height, weight, familial status, or marital status. Reminder: It's legal to discriminate against LGBT people in Michiganhttp://michiganradio.org/post/reminder-its-legal-discriminate-against-lgbt-people-michigan
21572 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 31 Mar 2015 20:52:00 +0000Reminder: It's legal to discriminate against LGBT people in MichiganRick PlutaMichigan Attorney General Bill Schuette's office has delivered the state's defense of its same-sex marriage ban to the U.S. Supreme Court. The state’s 59-page brief focuses largely on states’ rights. The attorney general argues the case is not specifically about marriage, but who gets to decide the question. Michigan AG delivers state's defense of same-sex marriage banhttp://michiganradio.org/post/michigan-ag-delivers-states-defense-same-sex-marriage-ban
21523 as http://michiganradio.orgFri, 27 Mar 2015 19:31:34 +0000Michigan AG delivers state's defense of same-sex marriage banJake NeherThe Michigan Civil Rights Commission hopes to help local governments draft non-discrimination laws. The commission has released a model civil rights ordinance communities can use as a template for their own laws. Model civil rights ordinance for local governments includes LGBT protectionshttp://michiganradio.org/post/model-civil-rights-ordinance-local-governments-includes-lgbt-protections
21477 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 24 Mar 2015 21:55:52 +0000Model civil rights ordinance for local governments includes LGBT protectionsZoe Clark This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of the DeBoer decision that briefly legalized same-sex marriage in Michigan in March 2014. To that end, there were some three-hundred one-year wedding anniversaries celebrated around the state yesterday. Democrats continue push for gay rights as same-sex couples celebrate one-year marriage anniversarieshttp://michiganradio.org/post/democrats-continue-push-gay-rights-same-sex-couples-celebrate-one-year-marriage-anniversaries
21440 as http://michiganradio.orgMon, 23 Mar 2015 12:55:00 +0000Democrats continue push for gay rights as same-sex couples celebrate one-year marriage anniversariesRick PlutaThe state House is poised to vote tomorrow that would allow faith-based adoption agencies in Michigan to turn away couples based on a religious objection to their lifestyle House Republicans rejected a number of amendments in preliminary debate on the legislation. They would have required agencies to put the best interests of children over religious concerns, and to state in advance who they would refuse to serve. State Rep. Andrea LaFontaine, R-Colombus, says she wants to make sure that faith-base agencies won’t be forced in the future to choose between placing children with families and their religious values. “I just want to make sure that the current system that is functioning today providing a diversity of agencies continues into the future,” she said. “They think that gay marriage is going become legal in Michigan and they don’t want to have to adopt to gay families,” said state Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon. “We have over 3,000 adoptable children in foster care. LGBTHouse rejects amendments to adoption law http://michiganradio.org/post/house-rejects-amendments-adoption-law
21390 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 17 Mar 2015 21:59:44 +0000House rejects amendments to adoption law Rick PlutaLegislation that would allow faith-based adoption agencies to refuse to work with LGBT couples or anyone else based on moral or religious grounds is headed to the floor of the state House. A state House committee approved the bills as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on same-sex marriage. Faith-based adoption bills headed to House floor http://michiganradio.org/post/faith-based-adoption-bills-headed-house-floor
21210 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 04 Mar 2015 22:56:58 +0000Faith-based adoption bills headed to House floor Michigan Radio NewsroomA coalition of business and civil rights leaders is expanding an effort to lobby Michigan's Legislature to make it illegal to discriminate against gay and transgender people. The Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition consists of representatives from over two dozen local and national companies, including Google, Dow Chemical Company, and Zingerman's, as well as various local associations and chambers of commerce. As stated on their website, the Coalition aims to "update Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity. " The Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act establishes the anti-discrimination laws in the state of Michigan. This act "prohibits discriminatory practices, policies, and customs in the exercise of those rights based upon religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status". Sexual orientation is not protected under act, as Leslee Fritz from the Michigan Department of Civil RightsCoalition expands effort to update Michigan's civil rights law to include LGBT protectionshttp://michiganradio.org/post/coalition-expands-effort-update-michigans-civil-rights-law-include-lgbt-protections
19822 as http://michiganradio.orgMon, 10 Nov 2014 21:01:23 +0000Coalition expands effort to update Michigan's civil rights law to include LGBT protectionsJack Lessenberry Today let’s fire up the old time machine and go back to downtown Grand Rapids, say, on this day in 1964. That would have been a Saturday, so we probably will be able to catch a lot of people at home. We’ll pretend to be taking a poll, and we’ll ask: “Excuse me, but we’d like your opinion on this question. Fifty years from now, do you think it will be more likely that A) the United States will have a colony on the moon, or B) that homosexual marriage would be legal in many states of the union?” Well, I can’t predict the future, but I do know something about the past. We would have had to knock on a lot of doors before we found anyone who would have thought gay marriage was even a remote possibility. In fact, it’s more likely we’d be punched in the nose for even suggesting such a thing. Society has come a long way. Yesterday, a three-federal judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a ruling striking down Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban, temporarily reinstating itCourt ruling reinstating gay marriage ban may actually advance gay rightshttp://michiganradio.org/post/court-ruling-reinstating-gay-marriage-ban-may-actually-advance-gay-rights
19800 as http://michiganradio.orgFri, 07 Nov 2014 19:49:43 +0000Court ruling reinstating gay marriage ban may actually advance gay rightsJack Lessenberry State Senator Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, looks absolutely nothing like Harry Truman, the 33rd President of the United States. Yet yesterday, when Warren introduced legislation to amend Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, he instantly came to mind. And here’s why: Many people, especially the LGBT community and their allies, were excited when, with considerable fanfare, Warren introduced her bill. SB 1053 would make it illegal for anyone hiring employees or providing housing to discriminate against anyone based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Identity, or expression. Her bill, as I understand it, would also make it illegal to refuse to hire or sell or serve or rent to anyone because you don’t like the way they dress or define themselves. Senator Warren’s bill reminds me of Harry Truman’s "do-nothing Congress" movehttp://michiganradio.org/post/senator-warren-s-bill-reminds-me-harry-truman-s-do-nothing-congress-move
19084 as http://michiganradio.orgFri, 12 Sep 2014 14:19:59 +0000Senator Warren’s bill reminds me of Harry Truman’s "do-nothing Congress" moveJake NeherLegislation that would add LGBT protections to Michigan’s anti-discrimination law will probably have to wait until after the November election. Some supporters of the measure hoped lawmakers would take it up before voters go to the polls in November. But the bill has not even been introduced yet. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, says he wants to take up the issue. Be he does not expect to hold a vote until the Legislature’s “lame duck” session. “I’m not sure what committee I’ll assign it to yet, but I do believe there will be a public debate sometime in November,” Richardville told reporters Tuesday. State House Speaker Jase Bolger also says it is wrong that people can legally be fired, denied employment, or denied housing in Michigan because they’re gay. But he says he wants to make sure the legislation does not infringe on the rights of religious people who oppose same-sex marriage. Vote on LGBT rights not likely before November electionhttp://michiganradio.org/post/vote-lgbt-rights-not-likely-november-election
19043 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 09 Sep 2014 21:39:55 +0000Vote on LGBT rights not likely before November electionThe Associated PressDETROIT – A federal appeals court won't give special treatment to Michigan's dispute over gay marriage. The court says the state's appeal of a decision overturning a ban on same-sex marriage will follow the usual course. The case will be heard by a three-judge panel, probably later this year. Attorney General Bill Schuette wanted the full court to leapfrog the panel and take the appeal. But there's no interest from judges at the Cincinnati-based court. A brief order unanimously rejecting Schuette's request was filed Monday. More than 300 same-sex couples were married in March after a Detroit federal judge said Michigan's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. The appeals court has suspended the decision while the appeal is pending. Michigan gay marriage appeal will follow usual trackhttp://michiganradio.org/post/michigan-gay-marriage-appeal-will-follow-usual-track
17395 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 29 Apr 2014 14:44:21 +0000Michigan gay marriage appeal will follow usual track